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Thursday, February 28, 2013

The epic poem, Kalevala, is celebrated by the Finns this day with parades and readings from the poem. The Kalevala recounts a battle of wits between three wizard brothers and the witch goddess, Louhi. It is a treasure trove of ancient shamanistic practices including the following healing spell.

About Luonnotar: A Finno-Ugric creatrix, Luonnotar closes the month of February with an abundance of creative, fertile energy. Her name means "daughter of earth," and according to legend she nurtured the cosmic eggs from which the sun, moon, and stars developed. In the Kalevala...

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, The Pagan Calendar, and can be found in its entirety here: Kalevala Day

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Hygeia is traditionally envisioned as a beautiful young woman feeding a large snake entwined around her, often from a vessel held in her hand.

Sacred Animal: Snake

Roman Equivalent: Salus

Feast Day: February 26

Hygeia is the goddess of good health and healing. She protects against all potential dangers to health. The word hygiene derives from her name. She is the daughter of the divine healer Askelopios and may be venerated alongside her father. A theory exists that Asklepios' family is cobbled together of various independent healing deities, who were then worshiped together as a mini-pantheon. Although Hygeia is worshiped alongside her father, she is not particularly subordinate. (The Orphics claimed she was his wife.) She is a goddess in her own right who works with Asklepios. She may also be venerated independently. For more information, see also The Festival of Salus.

Offerings: People traditionally offered their hair to Hygeia in her shrines, attaching it to her statues. Clothing or fabric was apparently attached, too.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Her name means "mom." Mut, the vulture goddess, is the spirit of maternity. So potently fertile that she conceived and gave birth to herself, Mut, an extremely beloved goddess, was venerated throughout Egypt. She bestows personal fertility and protection.

Although originally a local goddess, she became a national goddess during the New Kingdom (approximately 1550 - 1070 BCE). During this era, the brides of Pharaohs, queens of Egypt, served as Mut's chief priestesses. Originally venerated as an independent goddess, as Mut became increasingly popular, she absorbed characteristics of other goddesses. Eventually a marriage was arranged between mut and the state deity Ammon and Mut assumed the role of the less popular Amonet. Mut is sometimes identified as the Eye or Ra.

Manifestation: Mut appears as a crowned vulture, a white vulture, or a woman who may have wings and/or wear a vulture headdress.

Iconography: Later depictions of Mut portray her as a lioness, a cow, or a cobra-headed goddess, but this may derive from identification with other goddesses, especially Sekhmet.

Offerings: Incense. If you wish to give a traditional lavish, offering, give two hand mirrors: one silver, one gold. You are symbolically giving her the moon and sun.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

In praying to most gods, the Greeks stood holding the arms upward. When praying to a sea god, the arms were held forward; to an Earth or underworld deity, the arms were held down toward the ground, at the same time stamping on the Earth to attract the deity's attention....

About Minerva: This Etruscan/Italic goddess blended the odd attributes of being a patroness of household tasks, including arts and crafts, and also being the patroness of protection and war. Today she joins in pre-spring festivities by helping people prepare their lands for sowing and embracing the figurative lands of our hearts, homes, and spirits with her positive energy.

To Do Today:

In ancient times, this was a day to bless one's lands and borders. Gifts of corn, honey, and wine were given to the earth and its spirits to keep the property safe and fertile throughout the year. In modern times, this equates to a Minerva-centered house blessing.

Begin by putting on some spiritually uplifting music. Burn geranium-scented incense if possible; otherwise, any pantry spice will do. Take this into every room of your home, always moving clockwise to promote positive growing energy. As you get to each room, repeat this incantation:

Minerva, protect this sacred space

and all who live within.

by your power and my will,

the magic now begins!

Wear a geranium today to commemorate Minerva and welcome her energy into your life.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Long term relationships are like a garden. They need to be sowed, fertilized, weeded, and watered to grow beautifully. Even if you're doing all of those things, storms can come along and jostle things up. That's part of what makes a long term relationship both difficult and rewarding.

Here's a bit of old time gardening magick that can work wonders when it comes to nurturing a relationship.

To begin, you need three seeds from a flowering plant that speaks to you of love....

... I am so sorry to do this to you, but this post has been moved to my new website, Book of Shadows, and can be found in its entirety here: A Garden of Love

Thursday, February 21, 2013

This dish accents creative communications, especially with those ever-annoying know-it-alls, wiseacres, gossips, conversation hogs, and those who are quick to jump into discussions just to hear themselves talk! The yellow parsnips, carrots, and pepper reflect the air element, which empowers our words.

About Saga:
Saga, an attendant of Frigg, is a Scandinavian goddess whose name beans "seeress." Saga is a student of the Universe, ever watchful and ever instructing us about the value of keen observation. She is directly connected with the sign of Pisces, which governs artistic expression, psychic abilities, and sensitivity towards others' needs.

In artistic representations, Saga bears a long Viking braid, an emblem of womanhood and honor. According to the Eddas, Saga lives at Sinking Beach, a waterfall, where she offers her guests a refreshing drink of inspiration from a golden cup. Later, her name was applied to the sacred heroic texts of the Scandinavian people.

To Do Today:
Tend your sacred journals today. Write about your path, your feelings, where you see yourself going, and where you've been. Saga lives in those words - in your musings, memories, and thoughts - guiding them to the paper to inspire you now and in the future.

Invoke any of Saga's attributes in your life today simply by practicing the art of observation. Really look at the world, your home, and the people around you. As you do, remember that little things count. Saga's insight lies in the grain of sand and the wildflower as well as the stars.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Ash is among the trees most associated with fairies, and fairies are associated with eternally extended youth. Crumble ash leaves into bathwater to receive blessings of extended youthfulness and longevity.

Saturday, February 16, 2013

The oracle at Daphne, near Tarsus was obtained by dipping bay leaves or branches into a sacred spring, and bay leaves remain an ingredient of many magic spells and a tool for divination. Here's a simple bay leaf divination spell that doesn't require a magical spring.

Concentrate on your question while holding bay leaves in your hand. Then either place a single bay leaf onto a lit charcoal or toss a few leaves into an open fire.

If the leaves crackle loudly and burn brightly, the prognosis is positive. If leaves sputter, refuse to burn, or, worse, all flames die out, consider postponing or adjusting your plans. If flames shoot straight from the bay leaves, the signs are auspicious; all powers and blessings are with you.

An all around successful herb, bay or bay laurel was originally offered only to the gods. Later on it was used to crown the victors of the ancient Olympic games. It is still considered an herb of success and victory.

Add bay leaves to bathwater or crush them into powder and burn them for success.

When you find a bay leaf in your soup bowl, bite it between your teeth and make a wish.

Bay is considered a dual-fold herb and can remove evil from a dwelling as well as bless it with positive energy. Cook bay leaves in soup for protection. Lay dried bay leaves flat over your mattress and cover them with a fresh, white sheet. This draws luck as well as promoting sound sleep.

About Victoria: Victoria, as her name implies is the Roman goddess of attainment. Early in the year she inspires resolve within us to do everything we undertake, with excellence as a goal. In works of art, Victoria is often depicted with wings that allow her to surmount any obstacle or problem.

To Do Today:

Drink a tea made from lemon balm, ginger, and a pinch of cinnamon to generate a successful attitude. Remember, if you think you can, you can!

Put a bay leaf (a form of laurel) in your shoe so that Victoria's triumphant energy can walk with you all day long. Later in the day, burn a few bay leaves on a fire source to fill your home with success. Alternative aromas that invoke Victoria's favor are rose and red sandalwood.

To make a victory charm, find a feather (or cut paper in the shape of a feather) and empower it with this incantation:

With the wings of Victoria, I will rise

above all areas where trouble lies

Through diligence and mastery I will see

today begins my victory!

Carry this token anytime you feel your confidence waning, or when you need a boost to get over any seemingly insurmountable obstacle.

Friday, February 15, 2013

About Venus: Venus was originally an Italic goddess of blossoms; hearts and flowers have slowly become attributed to her loving, passionate energies. In fact, her name became the root for the word venerate - to lift up, worship, or esteem. So it is that Venus greets pre-spring efforts for uplifting our hearts with positive relationships.

To Do Today:

During Lupercalia, an ancient predecessor of Valentine's Day, single girls put their names in a box, and unmarried men drew lots...

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Collect a few rose leaves and petals, three or seven apple or pomegranate seeds and a small gemstone, which can be turquoise, emerald, or aquamarine (this doesn't have to be genuine; if you really can't obtain one, use colored glass).

Also gather a heart-shaped object (maybe a charm or a naturally shaped stone), a feather from a dove or pigeon or gathered from ...

Whether or not you're married, everyone will be happier if your partner's mother loves you. You can win your mother-in-law over by sending your love to her.

Choose a Friday evening when the moon is waxing. Take a pink candle and write your wish around it. Your wish should come from the heart. It could be something as simple as:

"(Mother-in-law's name), love me."

Take a pin with a blue head, for healing, or a yellow head for enlightenment. Between the beginning and end of your message, pierce the candle with the pin so that its tip emerges on the other side of the candle.

Light the candle and imagine the light of the flame warming your mother-in-law's heart. Leave the candle to burn down and extinguish itself, and salvage the pin.

Now have a tulip bulb ready, because tulips are said to heal rifts and reunite. Confirm your wish as you push the pin into the bulb. Then bury the bulb in a plant pot or garden. Your mother-in-law's love for you will grow with the bulb.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The arrow was sacred to Artemis (Diana), and was considered to carry special powers and blessings. This is a very old spell, which incorporates symbols which are placed along the shaft of an arrow. Traditionally this was performed on the shore of a lake, or other calm body of water (such as a Bay). It was necessary to be able to see the "path of the Moon" in the water. This "path" is the reflection of the moon, stretched along the surface of the water.

Instructions: For this spell you will need a bow and arrow. Take a new arrow and draw symbols of your wish/desire along its shaft. Meaningful words or phrases may also be added. On a night when the Moon is full, go to the shore, and face the water....

There's been a lot of talk of late about Pancake Marion, and the whole "Shrove Tuesday" phenomenon. But just who is she? And why did she do the horrible things that she did? Historian Marcus Ploughmans looks back at the history of one of England's darkest secrets.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

The "sacred lily" (Narcissus) that blooms at the Chinese New Year is the emblem of happiness, and whoever finds his lily blooming exactly on that day, is sure to be lucky. There is a legend connected with it that is more than a thousand years old.

Once there lived in China two orphan brothers. The eldest inherited the largest share of the ancestors' estates and also wickedly seized the younger brother's inheritance, leaving him only a few acres of rough, pebbly soil upon which nothing would grow. At one end of the ground was a marsh overgrown with rank weeds and rushes. For years the younger brother bore with magnanimous patience the rapacity of the eldest. Poverty and hunger at last broke him down...

Although no animal is more associated with magic than snakes, in general, the vast majority of magic spells for snakes involve methods of repelling them and warding them off. Here we have a number of simple protective devices the warding off and protection from snakes.

Agates: Agates are carried as talismans of safety from both snakes and scorpions. Although plain agate is allegedly effective, the talisman is more potent if engraved with either the image of a snake or of a person, preferably you or at least someone resembling you, riding upon a snake.

Alkanet: Among its magic powers, alkanet not only allegedly protects against snakebite but also helps counter and control fears of snakes.

Ash leaves and twigs: Allegdly snakes will not cross over a boundary formed from mingled ash leaves and twigs. If you live in a snake infested area, it might be worth a try.Black Snake Root: Make an infusion of black snake root (black cohosh) and add it to your bathwater, so that your aroma will allegedly repel snakes. (Note: Black snake root is not safe for use by pregnant women).Contraveneno: Contraveneno is a large black bean, marked on one side with a cross. A staple of Latin American magic, there is apparently n o English nickname for Fevellea cordifolia. The bean is poisonous but is used as a magical weapon to prevent snakebite and attack from other venomous creatures. Carry it in a charm bag around your neck. Do not consume it.Galbanum: The aroma of galbanum allegedly repels snakes. Burn it as incense or warm the essential oil in an aroma burner. You may also add it to your perfume.

Juniper: The aroma of burning juniper wood and leaves also allegedly repels serpents.

Plantain: This refers to the common garden herb, not the member of the banana family. Charge plantain with it's mission of protection. Carry it in your pocket to guard against snakebite.

Raspberry: Carry a piece of root from a raspberry vine to magically protect against snakebite.

Serpentine: Serpentine is named for its affiliation with snakes. Carry it as a charm for safety from them. Serpentine may also be used to cement a relationship with snakes. It provides safety without repelling.

Shark's Teeth: Fossilized shark's teeth were once believed to be snakes' tongues. They are still believed to have a magical affinity for snakes. Soak a shark's tooth in wine, and then drink the wine to assist in healing snakebite.

The snake is the totem animal of prophets, so it's no accident that the staffs of Asklepios, Hermes, and Moses were embellished with snakes. Over the centuries, magical divining women, from the Minoan snake goddess to Marie Laveau, have danced with serpents. There is even a traditional divination system that interprets the movements of snakes.

Because snakes are the repository of Earth's wisdom, there are may reasons why one would wish to communicate with them. Snakes are among people's primary magical teachers and are invoked in spells for childbirth, fertility, healing, protection and financial well-being.

That said, it may be easier for most people, for a variety of reasons, to access that knowledge through visions rather than actual contact.

The scent of lavender allegedly invokes the spiritual presence of serpents and the legendary Serpent Spirits. Here's how to use it:

Place an image on an altar, either of a snake or of an affiliated deity - the Minoan Serpent Goddess for instance. Surround this with fresh lavender or warm the essential oil in an aroma burner. Call the spirit. Be prepared to explain why you have issued the invitation.

Do this spell before bedtime, to receive a visitation in your dreams.

Alternatively, you can burn yarrow. Yarrow smoke allegedly stimulates visions of shakes. Burn yarrow and allow the smoke to permeate the area. Have your questions or goals ready.

Saturday, February 09, 2013

A toothache is one of the most annoying and painful experiences that one can have. It can really put a damper on someone’s entire day if he or she cannot find something to tame it. Because of the infection that can spread to other parts of the head, without treatment, a bad abscess and toothache can be life threatening. For this reason, it's important to see a dentist as soon as possible.

If you're desperate, these inexpensive, effective and easily accessible toothache home remedies may help alleviate your pain before you get to your appointment.

There are quite a few natural herbal remedies that work excellent for calming down a toothache. Whether a person’s pain is from a cavity, recent dental work, injury, or pure sensitivity, herbs provide a safe and natural way for pain management. Listed here in alphabetical order are some very effective herbal remedies for toothache pain.

Cayenne pepper:Cayenne pepper is a well-known herb, contained in most spice cabinets. What is not well known is that cayenne pepper, which contains capsaicin, is good for curing toothache pain. The hot ingredient in it restricts the action of substance P, that plays a role in transmitting pain. To use cayenne for a toothache: Soak a smidge of the powder in a small amount of water, and then using a cotton swab apply it to the tooth.

Clove:Cloves are one of the most popular remedies for a toothache. The distinctive taste of cloves comes from the chemical eugenol, which is an antiseptic. Cloves have a very strong taste, but they quickly relieve tooth and gum pain. The best way to use cloves is to administer them directly to the site of the pain. Clove oil is commonly used for treatment. Few drops of the oil can be applied to the pain area using a cotton swab. If there is a cavity present, the oil can be applied directly over the cavity for maximum results. Chewing clove seeds is equally effective.

Garlic:Garlic is one of the most effective home remedies for tooth pain. There is a chemical found exclusively in garlic called allicin with antibiotic properties that slow down bacterial affects. When the bacteria decrease, so does the pain. By applying a clove of crushed garlic directly on the affected tooth, the allicin is released and should immediately help alleviate the pain.

Ginger:Ginger helps to alleviate toothache pain. The steps for preparing the remedy are: Cut ginger root into small pieces, grind it well and mix it with little water to make a paste. This paste can be applied over the pain area to get some quick relief. Chewing small slices of ginger is also effective, but it is too hot to withstand.

Guava Leaves:

Guava tree leaves have been used for this purpose in many tropical cultures. There are 2 common uses. You can chew 1-2 leaves until the liquid comes out on the tooth, or you can put 4-5 guava leaves in a pot with some water. Bring nearly to a boil, then let cool to a warm temperature. Add some salt to the solution, swish or gargle in the mouth and spit. Repeat this process, being sure to allow the liquid to swish into the aching tooth.

Ice:Apply an ice pack to the cheek above the affected tooth. You can also do an acupressure ice massage. Rub an ice cube into the V-shaped area where the bones of the thumb and forefinger meet. Gently push the ice over the area for 5 to 7 minutes.

Onion:Raw onion has antiseptic properties, so chewing raw onion for 3 minutes can help. If it is too painful to chew, you can simply place a piece of raw onion directly on your tooth.

Plantain:Raw plantain leaves crushed and placed on the aching tooth will also help stop a toothache. If you happen to have a little salt with you, mix a little salt with the chewed leaves.

Sage:

Garden age serves many medicinal purposes such as calming anxiety and controlling menopausal symptoms. On top of all of its other great abilities, this herb is fantastic for a toothache. The best way to use sage is in the form of infusion or tea. The user can make a strong infusion by boiling the leaves in a cup of water for 10-15 minutes. Holding it in mouth for sometime reduces inflammation and gum infection. Sage will work to calm the toothache and whiten the teeth as well. It has a natural ability to whiten the teeth.

Salt and Pepper:Salt mixed with pepper is an age-old remedy for a toothache. Mix 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt with a few drops of water into a paste. Apply directly on the affected tooth and let sit for several minutes.

Spinach Leaves:Raw spinach leaves provide a similar effect to the guava leaves. Simply chew raw spinach leaves against the aching tooth or crush it into a paste to press against the affected area.

Tea Tree Oil:

A few drops of tea tree essential oil can be infused in water. Cleansing the mouth with this solution can give rapid relief to inflamed gums. It is a very potent antibacterial.

Turmeric:This herb has antiinflammatory and antibacterial properties. It is used in several natural tooth care products. The steps for preparing a toothache remedy are: Make a paste with 1 teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon salt, mixed with mustard oil (water will do). Applying this paste onto the affected tooth will ease the pain.

Vanilla Extract:Vanilla extract can also help, aided by its alcohol content. Apply 3-4 drops of vanilla extract onto a cotton swab and hold directly against the affected tooth several minutes for immediate relief.

Wheatgrass Juice:Wheatgrass juice is another natural way to stop pain as well as help reverse tooth decay. Being a natural antibiotic, wheatgrass juice naturally draws out toxins that may be in the gums. This toothache home remedy helps stop the infection from spreading which in turn reduces tooth pain. Use wheatgrass juice as a mouthwash to draw out toxins, or you can chew on wheatgrass for similar results.

Whiskey:

Take a "shot" to numb the pain. Hold a swig of whiskey over the painful tooth. Your gums will absorb some of the alcohol and that will numb the pain. Spit out the rest (optional).

Yarrow:Yarrow is a natural anesthetic that has a sweet and spicy flavor. It is also widely used for its aroma. Yarrow is also known as the nosebleed plant. It is great for toothaches because it is an anesthetic. However, yarrow also has the ability to stop bleeding and promote wound healing. Because of its usefulness in stopping bleeding the herb was called herbal militaris for almost hundred years. To treat a problem area, one would simply need to apply the extract of roots or leaves to the gums or teeth.

I am so grateful for modern dental care, and the fact that is readily available. There was a time, however, when a toothache was a major ordeal. For this reason, there is quite a lot of folklore that covers an amazing array of cures for a toothache. Some of them might even actually work - and if you really don't want to go to the dentist, you might want to give one or two of them a try. The first one, oil of cloves, actually works really well when applied directly.

Oil of cloves for a tooth ache.

Bite into a hot raisin right on the tooth that aches.

To cure tooth aches, hold whiskey over tooth in the mouth.

Take blood from around the tooth that aches and carry that to an oak tree that's been struck by lightning. On the north side of the tree, pull the bark down, put the blood in there, and then shove the bark back up. This will kill your toothache.

Get a wasp's nest and smoke it. That will cure a toothache.

If you’ll take the ear drum from a hog and paint it and tie it around your neck and wear it like a necklace it will cure the tooth ache.

Another method of treating toothache is to tie knots in a string, one knot for every tooth which does not ache.

To cure toothache, cut bits of your hair and nails, bore a hole in an apple-tree, and plug in the cuttings. The tooth will never ache again.

Chewing tobacco is a good pain reliever for tooth aches and insect stings.

For tooth ache- inhale the aroma of coffee beans being roasted over a slow fire, under cover of a blanket.

Asparagus root (because of its shape) will cure a tooth ache.

Cinnamon. Chewing gum strongly impregnated with cinnamon was obtainable at stores. Packing a tooth cavity with this alleviated the ache.

For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Work up radishes with goat’s fat and heat it and anoint the patient therewith and let him open his mouth that the worm may come up out of it.

Chew the seed of Jimson weed (Stramonium) for tooth ache.

For a tooth ache go out a find a garter snake and bite it, and there will be no more toothache.

A mother should always swallow the first baby tooth her child loses, as this protects the child from every having a tooth ache as long as she lives.

To relieve toothache, heat up salt and put it in a little back and hold it to place where ache is.

Wash your hands before your face and you will never get a tooth ache.

For teeth which ache and have ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Take a thick reed and cut in one end of it a small slit, and put on the fire a rose of the rhododapus tree so that the smoke thereof may enter (the reed and pass by it) to the teeth, and the worms will die.

If you have the tooth ache, just chew a garlic button.

Remedy for toothaches: Apply tip of a kitchen match (with sulphur tip) to the spot that aches.

If a tooth has been pulled because of a toothache, it must be thrown into the fire, or the ache will return.

Hellebore. The powder of the Root put into a hollow tooth, is good for the tooth ache.

All donkeys have on their backs a small black cross. This was their reward for witnessing the birth of Christ in the stable. If a person takes one hair from this cross and puts it in the tooth that aches, the pain will go away.

For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Pound raisins, boil them in olive oil and rub the teeth therewith, and let some of it remain in thy mouth.

Cure for toothaches: use salt that has been formed in a solid shape by water and rub it on the teeth that ache.

Wash the mouth with lemon extract and hold some of it in the mouth covering the affected tooth to stop tooth ache.

For a toothache, let someone who is not a relative of the sufferer, drill a hole in a tree. Then the sufferer spits into it three times, drives a nail in after the ache, and takes care never to return to the place.

For teeth which ache and have worms (ca. 9th century): Boil roses, myrtle, raisins, root of tamarisk, sumach, thorns and olive leaves in vinegar and let the patient hold it in his mouth.

To cure a tooth ache, you tie a string around a cotton wood tree, tie as many knots as you have teeth in your mouth and your tooth ache will go away.

I have heard taught one for ye tooth ache, to go thrice about a church yarde, and neuer thynke on a fox tayle.

The tooth is to picked with a splinter from a tree struck by lightning - the ache will cease but the tooth will decay.

For a toothache, prick the bad tooth with nine kinds of wood till blood flows. Put the spikes in a tree, and when they wilt, the ache will be gone.

To calm a tooth ache, rinse the mouth with very salty water with a little vinegar.

To cure tooth aches, people will help a bug or insect to get on its feet if it has turned over.

For the tooth ache, if the tooth be hollow. Take gum opium, gum camphor, and spirits of turpentine, equal parts, rub them in a mortar to a paste, dip lint in the paste, and put it in the hollow of the tooth every time after eating. Make use of this three or four days, and it will entirely cure the tooth from ever aching. All components are well-known tooth-ache remedies. Opium is used because of its content of morphine, the queen of pain relievers. It seems that turpentine is used to kill the nerve, while opium acts as a pain reliever during the process.

Put some tobacco in the tooth to cure a toothache.

Biting in a tree to rid oneself of a tooth ache.

Take the forelegs of a mole and one of the hind legs, and put them into a bag. Wear it round your neck, and you will never have the toothache.

To calm a tooth ache, rinse the mouth with brandy.

Smoke wicker sticks for tooth ache.

Put your right shoe on first thing in the morning and you won’t have the tooth ache.

Put your left shoe on first and you will never have the tooth ache.

For a toothache, hold a little liquor in your mouth on the side where the tooth aches.

A cat’s skin is a good remedy for toothache. You should keep a dried cat’s skin and hold it to your cheek when your tooth aches.

The people of Stamfordham some eighty years ago, had an “excellent” recipe for the curing, and prevention, of toothache. They walked to Winters Gibbet, on Elsdon Moor, some twelve miles away, for a splinter of wood from the gibbet. This, applied to the tooth, disposed of the ache in a jiffy!

Use cake- flavor for tooth aches.

Baking powder sometimes put into a tooth cavity for [treating] a tooth ache.

For teeth which ache and have worms. (ca. 9th century): Pound thorns and olive leaves with honey and strong vinegar and let some of the mixture remain in thy mouth.

He who drinks from all three of the spouts of the San Cayetano fountain will no longer suffer tooth aches.

If you have a toothache, put some spices on the tooth and the ache will stop.

Ireland had two popular superstitions for this unpleasant ache. The first one entailed either the drinking of water from a human skull, or the taking of a pinch of clay from the grave of a priest and putting it into your mouth. You then had to kneel down, say a Paternoster and an Ave, following which it was credibly supposed that you would never again have toothache so long as you lived.

Pick the sore tooth with a skinned stick until the gums bleed. Hide the stick in the woods, and the ache will vanish

Put the first aching tooth you have pulled in a glass of whiskey. Then drink the whiskey, and you will never have occasion to have another tooth pulled because it aches.

If you have a toothache, put a horseradish poultice on the wrist opposite the side the tooth is on, and the ache will go away.

If you have a toothache, put a horseradish poultice on the wrist opposite the side the tooth is on, and the ache will go.

To treat toothache, go to the fields or woods and find the jawbone of a horse. Get down on your knees and pick up the bone with your teeth, then walk backward, keeping yours hands behind you. The number of steps you take before dropping the bone indicates the number of years that will elapse before the tooth aches again.

Cold iron is best remedy for tooth ache.

A spider web put in an aching tooth will cure the ache.

Let the person that is troubled with the tooth-ache lay on the contrary side, drop three drops of the juice of rue [final letter of rue not quite distinguishable] into the ear, upon that side the teeth acheth. Let it remain an hour or two, and it will remove the pain.

Catch a frog under open sky, spit into its mouth, conjure it to take ache with itself so that one will suffer toothache no more and then release it..

If you have a toothache, you can cure it by tying three knots in your fishing line before you begin to fish. The ache will leave soon.

If you have a toothache, tie a fishing line around it (the tooth), with a dozen knots in it and the tooth ache will leave.

If you have a toothache, take the piece of grass which a cow brings home after the first day in the pasture, dry it and whenever the tooth aches, place it on the tooth.

For toothaches, boil roots of Aralia cordata and drink the liquid.

Vanilla on a tooth will ease a tooth ache. So will straight whiskey.

To stop a tooth ache put green black walnut juice on it.

Tooth Ache Drops - One oz. of chloroform, one oz. of spirits of camphor and half a drachm of oil of cloves. Keep in a tightly in a tightly corked bottle and apply a cotton batting to the cavity of the tooth or on a piece of flannel if applied to the face or jaw.

To burn the "little nerve " in the ear will cure the tooth- ache forever.

For tooth ache, mingle a wood goats gall with oil; smear very frequently with that; then they, the teeth, shall be hole.

If your tooth aches before seven o'clock, it will end before eleven.

To stop tooth ache go find an old dead cow’s skull. Wrap it up and hide it. The tooth ache will go a way.

When a tooth is pulled, take it and place it under a rock or throw it over your left shoulder, and none of your remaining teeth will ache.

About worms in the teeth: It was the common belief amongst country folk when I was a child, twenty-five years ago, in Derbyshire, that tooth ache was caused by a worm or grub eating at the root of the tooth. The belief has not yet died away. There was a curious mode of extracting this worm. A small quantity of a mixture of dried and powdered herbs was placed in a tea-cup or other small vessel, and live coke from the fire was dropped in. The patient then held his or her open mouth over the cup and inhaled the smoke as long as it could be borne. The cup was then taken away and a fresh cup or glass, containing water, was put before the patient. Into this water the person “hosted,” that is breathed hard, for a few moments, and then, by those with much faith, could be seen the worm or grub in the water, and of course the cure was complete.

A personal account of something that apparently worked: "Two years ago we had a neighbor that had two bad teeth aching. He didn't know about this cutting your toe-nails [Some say finger-nails] on Friday to keep from having the toothache, so he went to the dentist one Thursday and had his teeth worked on, and the dentist told him to come back the next week and he would fill them. That night he was telling me about it, and I said, 'Trim your toe-nails on a Friday.' The next day he got up and trimmed his toe-nails on Friday, and has been doing it ever since. And he never went back to have the two teeth filled, because they have not ached since, and that is two years ago."

Note: If you do try some of these cures, please be sure to use common sense, and do a little research to make sure that any plants or herbs prescribed are not poisonous.

Friday, February 08, 2013

In the Hari-Kuyo ceremony, Japanese women gather once a year on Febuary 8th at Shinto shrines or Buddhist temples to thank their worn out needles and pins for good service.

It is also a time to value the small, everyday objects of daily living and to wish for progress in one’s needle work. In what is known as the Festival of Broken Needles, women gather to offer a funeral-type service by laying the needles to rest ...